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On Our Radar

The Latest: French leader says UN must react to North Korea

TOKYO – The Latest on the nuclear test North Korea conducted Sunday — its sixth and largest so far (all times local):

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7:25 p.m.

French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned "in the strongest possible terms" North Korea's sixth nuclear test.

In a written statement, Macron "calls on the members of the United Nations Security Council to quickly react to this new violation by North Korea of international law."

He also calls for a "united and clear reaction of the European Union."

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He says the international community "must treat this new provocation with the utmost firmness" to bring North Korea back to the path of dialogue and give up its nuclear and missile programs.

North Korea's nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. State-controlled media say it was a hydrogen bomb. South Korea's weather agency says the detonation set off a magnitude 5.7 earthquake.

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6:35 p.m.

The Russian Foreign Ministry says North Korea's claim to have tested a hydrogen bomb "deserves the strongest condemnation." It's calling for all parties to refrain from escalating tensions further.

The ministry issued a statement Sunday urging immediate dialogue and negotiations. It says that's the only way settle the Korean Peninsula's problems, "including the nuclear one."

The ministry says Russia reaffirms its readiness to participate in negotiations, "including in the context of the implementation of the Russian-Chinese road map." Under that proposal, North Korea would suspend nuclear and missile tests in exchange for the U.S. and South Korea suspending their joint military exercises.

North Korea's nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. The country's state-controlled media say it was a thermonuclear device and a "perfect success."

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6:20 p.m.

A Chinese expert on North Korea says the country conducted its sixth nuclear test Sunday to damage the atmosphere at the summit of the Chinese-led group of large and emerging countries known as BRICS.

The summit of leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa is being held Monday and Tuesday in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen. A related business forum opened Sunday with a keynote speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who said nothing of the missile test.

Cheng Xiaohe (CHUHNG-She'ow-huh) of Renmin University says the latest test means "the Korean Peninsula situation will be at a stage of new crisis."

He says North Korea has demonstrated that it is not afraid of any pressure, which leaves other parties with few options.

The ministry said in a statement Sunday that the Chinese government has "expressed firm opposition and strong condemnation" of Sunday's detonation.

China urged North Korea to "stop taking erroneous actions that deteriorate the situation."

North Korea's nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. The country's state-controlled media say it was a thermonuclear device.

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5:10 p.m.

South Korea says it wants to answer North Korea's sixth nuclear test with the strongest measures possible.

South Korea's National Security Director Chung Eui-yong said Sunday that President Moon Jae-in will seek every available diplomatic measure, including new sanctions from the United Nations Security Council. He says Moon will also discuss with Washington ways to deploy the "strongest strategic assets" the U.S. has to completely isolate Pyongyang.

The president's office would not comment on it means by "strongest strategic assets."

The response comes in the wake of the North's confirmation that it has successfully tested a hydrogen bomb of "unprecedented" strength meant to be loaded into an intercontinental ballistic missile. The nuclear test triggered a strong earthquake.

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4:10 p.m.

South Korea's presidential office says the security chiefs for Seoul and Washington have spoken following North Korea's sixth nuclear test.

The office says U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster spoke with his South Korean counterpart, Chung Eui-yong, for 20 minutes in an emergency phone call about an hour after the detonation.

North Korea's nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. State-controlled media say it was a hydrogen bomb. South Korea's weather agency says the apparent detonation set off a magnitude 5.7 earthquake, making the blast five to six times stronger than the North's fifth test in September 2016.

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3:45 p.m.

North Korean TV says the country has successfully conducted a test of a hydrogen bomb that is meant to be loaded into an intercontinental ballistic missile.

South Korea's weather agency says an apparent nuclear test by North Korea appears to have been several times stronger than its previous test.

The Korea Meteorological Administration estimated Sunday that the nuclear blast yield of the presumed test was between 50 to 60 kilotons, or five to six times stronger than the North Korea's fifth test in September 2016.

North Korea is believed to have conducted a test after a magnitude 5.7 earthquake was detected earlier Sunday. The previous test created seismic waves with a magnitude of 5.0.

North Korea's state broadcaster says an important announcement is coming at 3 p.m. in Pyongyang. That would be 3:30 p.m. in Seoul and Tokyo, and 2:30 a.m. EDT.

KRT did not give any details of the announcement, but it comes after earthquake activity was detected earlier Sunday in what is presumed to have been a North Korean nuclear test.

The apparent test came hours after North Korea said its leader had inspected a hydrogen bomb meant for a new intercontinental ballistic missile. The report could not be independently verified.

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2:30 p.m.

South Korea has refuted a news report that there was a second earthquake near North Korea's nuclear test site.

The Korea Meteorological Administration said Sunday that it had not detected another quake.

South Korea's Yonhap news service reported a second earthquake had happened eight minutes after the first, citing China's earthquake agency.

South Korea's military said earlier Sunday that North Korea is believed to have conducted its sixth nuclear test after seismic waves were detected with a magnitude of 5.7. That was revised up from an initial report of 5.6.

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1:40 p.m.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency says a second quake was detected near North Korea's nuclear test site.

The second quake measured 4.6.

South Korea's military said earlier Sunday that North Korea is believed to have conducted its sixth nuclear test after it picked up seismic waves measuring 5.6. The U.S. Geological Survey called the first quake an explosion with a magnitude 6.3.

It came hours after North Korea claimed that its leader has inspected a hydrogen bomb meant for a new intercontinental ballistic missile.

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1:30 p.m.

South Korea's military says North Korea is believed to have conducted its sixth nuclear test.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul says in a statement South Korea's military has strengthened monitoring and readiness and is mulling a variety of possible responses that could be pushed together with its ally the U.S.

The apparent test came just hours after North Korea claimed that its leader has inspected the loading of a hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile.

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1:05 p.m.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff says a magnitude 5.6 quake in North Korea was artificial and it's analyzing whether the North conducted a nuclear test.

It says it detected a seismic wave from 12:34 p.m. to 12:36 p.m. around Punggyeri, North Korea.

The quake came just hours after North Korea claimed that its leader has inspected the loading of a hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile.

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1 p.m.

South Korea's Yonhap News agency says a magnitude 5.6 quake has occurred in North Korea.

It isn't immediately clear whether North Korea has conducted its sixth nuclear test. North Korea conducted its fifth test last September.

The report came just hours after North Korea claimed that its leader has inspected the loading of a hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile.